Paper Love
by W0lf Star
Summary: Love blossoms from a late night of paperwork.


**Title:** Paper Love  
**Author:** Wolf Star  
**Fandom:** SGA  
**Pairings:** John/Elizabeth  
**Rating:** PG  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer:** So not my characters.  
**Notes:** Totally unbetaed. First fic I've written in quite a while, so please be nice!

Saturday. Somehow it was Saturday once again. Elizabeth sat at her desk, staring at a mound of paper. She couldn't quite bring herself to begin filling out page after page of reports, forms, and other meaningless written formalities. Every week, she somehow found the energy to complete every scrap of paper, but within 7 days, the pile would once again reach several inches in height.

Sighing, she pushed her chair back, stood up, and began pacing the room. Every time she turned around, paper mocked her, daring her to walk away. She even considered sending it through the Stargate. She couldn't be expected to do paperwork in the void of space.

As her fantasies became more and more elaborate, a soft knock brought her back into her office. John stood in the door carrying a stack of papers only slightly smaller then her own.

"I thought you could use some company," he said as half a grin crossed his face.

Without waiting for a reply, he dropped his pile onto the desk with a thud. "I'll get some coffee. It looks like it will be a long night for both of us."

Elizabeth smiled as John walked out of the room and began to organize of papers on her desk into piles. By the time she finished, John had returned.

"Thank you," she smiled up at him. "The one thing I hate about this job is all the paper that goes with it. How bad is yours this week?"

"You'd think with command it would get better. I swear, I can't eat without having to fill out a form."

Elizabeth barely suppressed a laugh, instead focusing on Monday's reports detailing energy usage in the outer residential sections of the city. All 5 pages said the same thing they said every week: nobody lives there, so there is a minimum of energy being used.

"Why do I need to catalog boots?" John's question broke in. "They're boots. We wear them. Some of them get worn out. We get more."

"So that's why you never fill out your section?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrow.

"You noticed, huh?"

"John, how can I request more boots if you don't sign off on it? Unless you want to wander around on unknown planets with bare feet."

"Ok, I surrender. I'll do it. But I won't like it." As he finished the last word, Elizabeth looked up to notice the huge grin on John's face.

"Your troops will thank you then," she said as she smiled back.

They fell into silence again as Elizabeth continued methodically going through her piles while John grabbed bundles at random. As his stacks gradually covered more and more surface area, hers once again began to condense into one completed pile.

"Damn it. I'm out of coffee."

"I'll get more for the two of us, but only if you promise to give me back at least half of my desk while I'm gone."

"But that will destroy my system!"

"John, you don't have a system, you have a mess. And it is taking up most of my desk."

"Ok, but if I move it and miss something, you have to fix it."

"John!"

"What? You're ruining my system."

"John, it isn't a system."

"Ok, but I could use a break from all this paperwork."

"I would like a break as well, but for right now, I'm getting coffee."

"I'm just saying, we would be a lot happier with less paper and more love."

As soon as the words left his mouth, their eyes locked, and they both froze.

Elizabeth recovered first. "I'm going to go get that coffee," she said as she hurried toward the door.

John ran his fingers through his hair as he stood looking about the empty room. He had meant to say fun. Every time he was around her, things just seemed to slip out. But this was worse, because he meant it. She shouldn't know. He hadn't wanted her to know. Not yet. Not until he was certain she felt the same.

It had started with dinner and walks around Atlantis. Then, there were the late nights. They had said it was for work, but both had known better. He couldn't keep his eyes off her, and he had caught her staring at him more than once. Neither of them had allowed that final step to happen, however, until now. And John had just blown that door wide open, leaving it in splinters.

Unable to figure out what to do, he started arranging his papers onto one side of the desk. At least it was keeping his hands busy. He almost went as far as organizing everything, but the unmistakable sound of the office door opening stopped him.

He turned to see Elizabeth standing just inside the room, holding two styrofoam cups. He tried to act as if he hadn't said anything, but all he could do was stand there and wait to see how she would react.

She walked over to the desk, set the cups down, and turned to face John.

Taking his hand into hers, she looked into his eyes. "I want to say it won't work. I _should_ say it can't work. It could destroy our careers."

"It doesn't have to, Elizabeth. We can be discreet."

"No, John, we can't. We already can't seem to hide it, and no matter what, I'm still in charge of Atlantis. You are my chief military officer, and Caldwell would jump on it and use our indiscretion to remove both of us from command. Then, he'd find a way to run this place himself. You know that. He's tried before with less of a legitimate reason."

"I don't like it. Can't we just pretend that isn't the case."

She stared into his eyes, wishing she could say something different. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to fall into his arms. "We can't, John. I wish we could, but we just can't."

Paperwork forgotten, John left the room. Elizabeth stared after him, both wishing he would come back in and dreading what might happen if he did.

John stood outside the door for a long time, not wanting to leave. Then, he remembered he had left everything inside the office. Cautiously, he opened the door, hoping she wouldn't notice. Hearing nothing, he stepped inside.

He saw her sitting at the desk, cradling her head in her arms. He froze, wondering what to do. As he inched closer to the desk, he realized her eyes were closed and her breathing quite rhythmic. Quietly, he collected his papers, but just as he was about to leave, he noticed a stray strand of hair had fallen onto her face. Unable to resist, he lightly brushed it aside.

Elizabeth stirred, blinked twice, and looked at him through bleary eyes.

"Am I dreaming?" she half whispered, unable to believe herself to be awake.

"No," was all he said.


End file.
